"I'm sorry for cursing last year"... Seoul fan's "voluntary confession" received by Kim Ki-dong: "A coach is judged only by results" [Sangam Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Ki-dong (55), FC Seoul head coach, shared an anecdote about receiving an apology from a fan.

Seoul will face Daejeon Hana Citizen in a Hana Bank K League 1 2026 Round 8 home match at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 18th.

Seoul has recorded seven consecutive matches without a loss (six wins, one draw), accumulating 19 points to sit atop the league standings. In contrast, Daejeon, struggling with three consecutive losses, remains in 11th place with just six points.

Seoul has maintained peak momentum by defeating Jeonbuk Hyundai and Ulsan HD, both in the title race, in succession. With 16 goals scored and only four conceded across seven matches, the team has demonstrated stability on both offense and defense. Notably, a 1-0 victory over Jeonbuk on the 11th broke a nine-year home winless curse, while a 4-1 away win against Ulsan on the 15th finally ended a 10-year Ulsan curse.

Before the match, head coach Kim Ki-dong addressed the physical burden caused by midweek away games. He revealed that he arrived in Seoul at 2 a.m. on Thursday after the Ulsan match. "When playing a day game immediately after a night match, players' concentration can drop significantly, so we had extensive discussions with the squad on this issue," he stated.

Despite this, Seoul's starting lineup remains largely unchanged from the Ulsan match, with only Clemyla and Kim Jin-su returning. Kim Ki-dong explained his decision by stating, "I believe players can only gain confidence on the field if they maintain the positive momentum and flow from the first half of the Ulsan match."

Regarding the decision to start 2007-born rookie Son Jeong-beom, Kim said, "He has spirit and recovers quickly. If Jeong-beom can serve as the team's energy source, experienced players will handle the game's tempo." He further praised the player as "one with high work rate, solid basic touches, and excellent overall balance."

Last season, Kim Ki-dong faced criticism, but he recently spoke about the changed fan sentiment both online and at the stadium. He noted, "After the Ulsan match, a fan approached me at the train station and voluntarily confessed, saying, 'I criticized the coach heavily last year, and I'm sorry.' He emphasized, "When results are good, fans are happy and support increases. No matter what a coach says, ultimately, results are what matter."

He added, "There will certainly be a point where momentum stalls, but a strong team is one that creates a turning point to avoid a losing streak. If we manage this Daejeon match well, we should be able to handle the Round 1 schedule smoothly before the World Cup break."

Currently, Seoul is focusing on managing injured players. Anderson has begun training with the ball without pain and is regaining match sharpness, while Jo Young-wook, who suffered a Galbi bone injury, is in a recovery phase.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.